Minimize Your Cellulite

At least 80 percent of us have visible patches of cellulite, usually on our backside and thighs, but also on our breasts, belly and upper arms. For most women, it’s just an inevitable fact of life why is the puckering so persistent? Cellulite is caused by the way fat naturally bulges out from the connective tissue (called septa) that binds muscle to the skin and holds our fat in place. Think of a down comforter puffing out between its quilted seams. Over time, this dimpling can deepen due to hormonal shifts linked to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and taking birth control pills or hormone-replacement therapy drugs. Cellulite can also grow more apparent due to age (which thins skin and makes it less elastic). We can’t eradicate cellulite because we can’t change the way our bodies are made.

Maintain steady weight Yo-yo dieting can compromise your skin’s elasticity and make your fat cells grow larger, making them bulge through your connective tissue even more. To fend off cellulite, try to stay in the same ten-pound weight range.

Work out Getting the 30 minutes of moderate-intensity, daily exercise that experts recommend will help you shed excess fat and improve circulation – both of which can minimize cellulite’s appearance. Weight lifting may be the best available treatment for cellulite. It tones muscle. Doctor’s prescription: 30 to 40 minutes of strength training at least twice a week.

Those are the two soundest strategies to minimize cellulite. But the U.S. market for reduction strategies is more than $47 million. Here’s the lowdown on some of those methods.

Cellulite creams Lotions containing antioxidants, vitamins, herbal extracts, and/or Retin A, promise to improve blood flow and even reduce the size of stubborn fat cells, though there is limited scientific proof to back these claims. Most work by irritating the skin which can cause swelling that camouflages cellulite. But it can also cause rashes and trigger allergic reactions in some users.

Mesotherapy A therapist uses a fine-gauge needle to inject the skin with substances that supposedly melt cellulite so the body’s lymph system can drain it away. Studies on mesotherapy are limited, and it may cause infection, rashes, and uneven skin contours.

Massage “Mechanical massages” involve some combination of infrared light, radio frequency, and/or a device that kneads or rolls the cellulite. Some massage treatments can result in improvement.